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Butter Tofu Paneer - Restaurant Style Tofu Butter Masala Recipe
5 from 489 votes

Butter Tofu Paneer - Restaurant Style Tofu Butter Masala Recipe

Butter Tofu Paneer mimics classic butter masala using baked tofu cubes marinated with Indian spices and coated in a creamy butter sauce made with garlic, tomatoes, ginger, and cashew cream. The tofu provides a firm, savory base enhanced by the rich, spiced tomato sauce, delivering a textured dish that echoes paneer-style curry flavors with a plant-based twist.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 166 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, Vegan, gluten-free

Ingredients

Baked Tofu "Paneer"
  • 12 oz tofu pressed between paper towels for 10 minutes, then cubed, firm
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala paprika, salt, and turmeric
  • 2 tsp ginger or minced ginger, paste
  • 2 tsp garlic or 3/4 tsp garlic powder, paste or minced
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1.5 tsp water 1/2 tbsp
  • 1.5 tbsp cornstarch or other starch such as arrowroot
  • 1 tsp nutritional yeast optional
  • 1 tsp neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
Butter Sauce:
  • 1 tsp neutral cooking oil or vegan butter, generic cooking oil
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 3 tomato or 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, large ripe
  • 1 inch ginger 1/2 inch chopped, 1/2 inch julienned or thinly sliced into sticks, cube
  • 1 green chile or use very thinly sliced green bell pepper, hot or mild, julienned or thinly sliced
  • cashew cream 15 mins cashews blended with 1/2 cup water, made with 1/4 cup soaked cashews
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp paprika or kashmiri chili powder
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp fenugreek leaves dried, aka kasoori methi
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sugar to preference, or other sweetener

Instructions

Bake the Tofu:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Press and cube the tofu if you havent already. In a bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients under baked tofu, to make a marinade. Add tofu and toss well. Let it sit for 15 min (optional). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F / 200ºc. Place the tofu cubes on parchment lined sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Make the Butter Sauce:
  1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden. You can also add in 1 bay leaf and 1 cinnamon stick with the garlic for additional flavor. Remove these before serving.
  2. Puree the tomato with the chopped ginger and half the green chile. Add to the skillet and cook until the puree starts to thicken and does not taste raw tomatoey. Dont wash the blender.
  3. In the same blender, blend the cashews and water until smooth. Blend the cashews for a minute, let it rest for a minute and then blend again for about a minute for a creamy result. Works with unsoaked cashews. Or use premade thin cashew cream (about 1/2 cup).
  4. Reserve 1 tbsp of the cream for garnish. Add the rest of the cashew cream to the skillet. Add spices, fenugreek leaves, salt and sugar and mix well. Use 1/2 cup water to rinse out your blender and add to the skillet. Mix and Bring to a boil. Taste and adjust salt, heat (add cayenne) and sweet. Add more water if needed for preferred consistency. Add more cashew cream for creamier.
  5. Fold in the baked tofu. Simmer for a minute. Mix in the julienned ginger and green chile. Alternatively, mix half of the ginger and chile and use half as garnish. Add a drizzle of the cashew cream and other garnishes as pepper flakes, chopped cilantro. Serve over Easy Garlic Naan, rice or roti.

Notes

  • Bake tofu after marinating to achieve a firm, slightly crisp texture that holds sauce well.
  • Cashew cream creates a rich, creamy sauce; use premade or soak and blend cashews for 15 minutes before blending.
  • For soy-free version, simmer sauce with chickpeas or roasted vegetables instead of tofu.
  • To sub fenugreek leaves, use powdered fenugreek or ground mustard in small amounts to maintain flavor balance.
  • This curry works well served with rice or Indian breads.

Nutrition Information

Serving 4g Calories 166kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 658mg (27%) Potassium 412mg (9%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 910IU (18%) Vitamin C 16.4mg (18%) Calcium 45mg (5%) Iron 1.2mg (7%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 166

% Daily Value*

Serving 4g
Calories 166kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 14g 5%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 658mg 27%
Potassium 412mg 9%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 910IU 18%
Vitamin C 16.4mg 18%
Calcium 45mg 5%
Iron 1.2mg 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.